Episode Details

Jeremy Siskind’s journey bridges the worlds of jazz performance, education, and digital innovation. As a pianist, author, and educator, Jeremy has developed groundbreaking resources for students while inspiring thousands through his books, teaching, and YouTube channel. In this episode, he shares how improvisation can be taught step by step, why ensemble playing is crucial, and how his work continues to expand access to jazz piano for learners everywhere.

1. Jeremy shared about his background and how his piano journey began at a Yamaha Music School.
2. How Yamaha’s holistic training in improvisation and harmony set the stage for his jazz career.
3. The importance of planning routines like improv weeks or warmups to integrate improvisation.
4. The value of treating jazz like learning a language.
5. Why adults struggle with unlearning habits and wanting quick results.
6. How students can start with drone improvisations and clear phrasing.
7. The benefits of practicing blues as a foundation for jazz.
8. Jeremy emphasized why playing in ensembles is essential for growth.
9. He discussed the value of his Jazz Piano Fundamentals series for beginners.
10. How his Solo Standards books provide professional arrangements.
11. He highlighted the benefits of arrangements but stressed improvisation is key.
12. How YouTube expanded Jeremy's teaching reach worldwide.
13. Jeremy outlined upcoming projects including an album, TEDx talk, and songwriting book.

Links Mentioned

1. Jeremy's website: www.jeremysiskind.com
2. Jeremy's Jazz Piano Class: jeremysiskind.com/jazzclass
3. Jeremy's Instagram Page: @jsiskind2
4. Jeremy's YouTube Channel: www.youtube.com/jeremysiskind

Today’s Guest

Jeremy Siskind is the rare musician whose imaginative albums land on “best of” lists while his ground-breaking instructional books populate “best-seller” lists. A top finisher in national and international jazz piano competitions, Siskind is a two-time laureate of the American Pianists Association and the winner of the Nottingham International Jazz Piano Competition. A sought-after educator, Siskind has published more than 20 instructional books, including Playing Solo Jazz Piano, with an introduction by Fred Hersch, and the ground-breaking Jazz Piano Fundamentals series. As a busy LA-based musician, his piano